Team Philippines finally found a way to get on top of the podium after the women’s foil team and the men’s saber squad ruled their respective categories in the SEAFF Cadet and Junior Championship on Tuesday at the Arena TSH OCM in Kuala Lumpur.

The triumvirate of Victoria Ebdane, Willa Galvez and Jodie Tan joined forces to capture the women’s foil team as they downed the team from Vietnam, 44-37, in the finals.

After dispatching Philippines Team B of Yuna Canlas, Hagia del Castillo and Victoria Malvar in a nail-biting 29-28 triumph in the semifinals, Philippines Team A was in full control all throughout the finals match.

Protecting a slim 9-6 lead, the 15-year-old Galvez, a member of the University of the East fencing team, outscored 10-1 her opponent Nguyen Thi Anh Thu on the fourth of nine bouts that gave the Philippines a comfortable 19-7 advantage.

Galvez accounted for 21 of the team’s total touch points while Ebdane added 13 points while Tan had 10 points.

In men’s saber, led by national team member Khiane Felipe, with Vito Coching, Drake Chung and Matthew General, the Philippines defeated Thailand, 45-40, in the finals.

With the two gold medals, it added to the national junior team’s collection of two silver and four bronze medals.

Estelliah Gilliana, Hailey Sophia Peters, Arianna Tiu and Nadelle Turiano of Team Philippines got a silver medal in the women's saber team event.

Oscar del Castillo, who earned a silver medal in men’s individual epee, also had a bronze medal with Joaquin De Silos, Jacob Mayo and Boo Geronimo in men’s team epee.

Also earning bronze medals is Team B (Canlas, Del Castillo and Malvar) in women’s foil; Rhiana Cruz, Eleina Junia, Faith Olemos and Papina Torre in women’s epee; and Inigo Divinagracia, Lucas Palafox, Jethro Chan and Elijah Timbol in men’s foil.

Galvez also earned a bronze medal in women’s individual foil on Monday by beating Sita Naidu Maaravis of Singapore, 15-14, in the quarterfinals but lost to eventual gold medalist and home bet Suraya Rizzal, 15-8.

Action continues with the cadet category, with the epee, foil and sabre individuals set 12 and 13 August while the team events will be played on 14 August.